Cath Sheard Art

Blog

  • Arting out my feelings

    I got a bunch of new art mags from the USA last week, and an article by Dina Wakley really got my attention. Her use of layering and colours spoke to my heart, which has been a bit bruised lately. Having finished my new office/art room, I knew what I really needed was to get my hands dirty. So this afternoon I hauled out some supplies, including my new Michelle Ward stencils, and some heavy watercolor paper. This is the first of three pages I started this afternoon, all documenting the changes in our lives that are coming as a result of Mum going into the rest home. Pouring it out in art is good for my soul.

  • New home office / art room

    I am determined that some good things are going to come out of Mum going into the home. One easy win is moving my home office / art room into her old bedroom – it’s a much lighter, warmer space, and larger too. (I do still have my outside art studio, but it has “issues”)

    Tony and I have spent most of the weekend sorting, moving, hanging artwork etc. We’re both tired, but the final result is excellent. I have a light bright clean and tidy space, with a lazyboy chair in the corner so Tony can sit and read while I do whatever. One of the things I love is that some of my favorite artworks are now on the wall where I spend most of my home time. There’s a piece from Legato by Sophia Elise (it has Dad’s name on it, and my ‘2nd Dad’ Jack as well), 3 stripe paintings by Tanya Dann, a large fluro blue butterfly Tony bought me in Christchurch, the piece I did about our trip to Rome and 5 ACEOs by Martha Marshall.

    I really like the inspiration of having favored pieces around me, and also having a clean well organised space. I can’t wait to get creating in it. I feel so fortunate.

  • Mail Art Swap

    I’ve been making and/or decorating a few envelopes recently and then last night, trawling friend’s craft blogs, I noticed a mail art swap and thought “why not?”. So here goes, my first mail art swap. I’ve kept it small and simple for this first try. If you’re not sure what mail art is, go to Google Images and search ‘mail art envelopes’. Want to join in? The rules are pretty simple:

    1. Email me at cathsheard@xtra.co.nz by the 16th June, saying you’d like to participate.
    2. Send me 6 mail art envelopes (fairly standard sizes please) by July 16th. Include your name and postal address so I can send work back to you.
    3. Only send work you would be happy to receive.
    4. No ‘sticker slap’ please! Stickers, rubber stamps etc are fine, but please create, not just stick.
    5. People will be using your mail art, so nothing too lumpy or with nowhere to write an address.

    Once I have everyone’s mail art in, I’ll send each participant a fabulous set of mail art to enjoy and use. This swap is suitable for beginners, and anyone arty/crafty – why not give it a go?

  • Got stencils?

    As many of you will know, I have participated in Michelle Ward’s Crusades over the last few years. Michelle’s taking a break from the Crusades but her presence in the art community remains strong. I have long admired her stamps, and own quite a few; recently she bought out stencils. So cool! With all the recent upheavals in our life, I needed a bit of cheering up, and what better way than with new art supplies? (chocolate would have worked too of course)

    You can a blogpost about see her stencils here. My stencils have arrived from the USA and they’re even more awesome than I imagined. I’ve had a quick play with them and, as if often the case, my first attempts turned out nothing like what was in my head. I need to puddle round a bit before I get comfy with new supplies. I think tomorrow might be a spray paint day 🙂

  • Mum…

    I’m going to keep this brief (for me) because I don’t have the heart for a longer version. Mum had a stroke just over two weeks ago and ended up in Base Hospital initially, where she had a fall; not their fault I hasten to add. Once they were sure it was a stroke, and that she was doing okay, they moved her back to Hawera Hospital for rehab.

    Mum’s speech is fine, but her swallow reflex might be a bit dodgy; she can’t eat bread or similar for now. Her brain is okay, but there are certainly holes in both logic and memory from time to time. That may get better over time. She walks okay, but is always on a walker now, not just a walking stick. The biggest hurdle was transferring from bed or chair to walker and back but she has that sorted now.

    However, she is very frail and has lost all confidence, and needs support to go to the toilet etc as she is scared of falling – I think her eyesight got worse with the stroke too.  She is up 3 or 4 times a night so it’s quite a challenge.

    Mum has decided that she no longer feels safe being at home alone in the afternoons when we’re at work, and also doesn’t want Tony and I having to get up that often at night. She has chosen to go into Te Mahana Resthome, where she was going for two days day care each week, on a permanent basis. In theory, if she’s a lot better after a month, she can try coming home but I honestly think the most she’ll manage is some Sundays and Mondays when I’m not at work.

    Tony and I feel sad it has come to this; we all wanted her to stay with us till she died, but she shows no real sign of doing so and now it is out of our hands. It is a huge change for us, as we’ve been living with her for 14 years as carers now.

    So, that’s where we are at. My heart is heavy and I have cried a lot, but I know it is best for Mum. 

    Cath